THE TALE OF THE LENITA BRITCHER, HEARD AT A BAR

A Furry Story by Adam Leisemann

As recalled by Jared Reiner, Third year college student.:

I was out late on a Friday night, cooling down from a very long week at college. The winter air was chilly, but that was to be expected. I kept my upper body warm against the wink with my heavy coat and warmed by ears with my hood. I have to get some snow pants one of these days, since regular pants do nothing to warm my legs or my tail. I should have been born a corgi than a fox, but such was life.

Anyways, I was hiking down to the nearest bar for something to fill my stomach. When I had gotten there, I hung up my hooded coat and pulled my wallet from my pocket to briefly check my funds. I only had a twenty on me so I needed to keep my meal cheap until I could withdraw some more money from the bank. I also flicked my tail a bit to shake off any snow, a habit I had developed in the winter months despite that it was not snowing that night. I went up to the bar and looked at the menu overhead, before deciding that I should order a cheeseburger with bacon, with some cheese curds on the side as well. I gave my order to the bartender, and he took the order to the kitchen.

As I waited for my meal, I listened to the banter around me. Many of the others, fellow college students, merely exchanged perverted jokes and banter over coursework. However, there were a vixen and a female skunk who were sitting by each other, and next to me, and they seemed quite attractive. Being male and straight, I must confess I was somewhat titillated by my own perverse thoughts. Girl on girl is pretty hot, after all. I paid a little attention to them, hoping they'd flirt or say things I could easily remove from context. And don't tell me you've never done the same with people you thought were attractive.

So far, nothing. But the Bartender came out and set my meal on the bar, and I started on the cheese curds. At this point, the skunk herself said something that made my ears perk. “Say, Alice, you know what's up with tonight?”

That sounded like one of the corniest pick-up lines ever. Well, actually, there are worse. The vixen, whom I presume is Alice, answered, “What are you talking about? Nothing's up. Not as far as I know.” Damn. It could have been a good answer. But I suppose I was still curious about what was up.

The skunk answered, “Twelve years ago tonight, there was a terrible incident. You heard of Lenita Britcher, right?”

“No, I haven't,” said Alice. Neither have I, to be honest. I kinda gave up on the hopes that I was sitting next to a lesbian couple. Murder isn't exactly a subject anyone I know would use for romantic chit-chat.

“Well, I suppose I should tell you about her then,” the skunk said. Please do. She began her story. “This  really began sixteen years ago, when the high school phase began for three promising young students. One was a wolf, Tom. He became a star athlete on the football team during this time. There was also Fiona, a she-wolf who aggressively pursued Tom's affections. He came to date her, but it was a slow beginning. Third was Lenita. She was a skunk, and like all skunks she was de-scented at birth to avoid some of the social problems. However, she was still shy, demure, and Tom was interested in her, but he couldn't figure out how to approach her without the risk of scaring her off. She was also interested in Tom, but felt she had no chance at all.” This sounds innocent enough. One guy, two jealous girls, where's the murder? Well, I had to listen closely as I went on to eat the cheeseburger.

The skunk continued, “Fiona was aware of Tom's interest in Lenita, and when he wasn't around, she'd push Lenita around and demean her in any way she thought possible. And this was not juvenile name-calling that could have been ignored. Oh no. She engineered ways to turn negative attention to Lenita, and when people turned to see the commotion, Fiona would fake injury, which has gotten Lenita in detention a few times.” I kept thinking that this was typical high school stuff. Can't you get to the point? Alice was still listening, and kept her patience. I suppose that she thought of this as build-up to a really creepy punchline. I was hoping she was right. Emphasis on “was.”

“When the Senior year came, there was going to be a Valentine's Dance, a celebration of February. In the week leading up to this, Tom began figuring out that Fiona was the abuser, and finally asked Lenita to be his date at the dance. Lenita was shocked at first, and she happily accepted. That was the best day in her life, and it was so close to the end of it, too.” Jilted ex. That's a classic motive. But a high aschool girl committing murder? That still struck me as odd.

“I think I have a feeling where this is going,” said Alice. “I guess Fiona killed Lenita out of jealous rage?”

The skunk answered, “Is it rage when you make the perfect plan for it? Fiona brought an extra change of clothes for the dance, one that was not for dancing in. She also bought gloves and a knife. She was planning it, according to police reports.” Yikes! That sounds like someone pretty damned determined!

Alice quirked her brow. “That's terrible!”

The skunk nodded, and just then I noticed she was wearing a black choker around her neck. I started wondering....

“That night, Fiona was driving to the dance and found Lenita walking to the school. The two talked, Lenita admitted she never told Tom where she lived, so she decided to walk over. She even said it was good for her stamina. Fiona invited Lenita into the car. The skunk should have suspected something was up, given the abuses she had to put up with previously. Fiona drove Lenita out to a small patch in the woods and stopped there, pulled out a case with a her change of clothes, got out of the car and ordering Lenita out as well. The poor skunk was too terrified to disobey, and she got out quickly. Fiona then lead Lenita out a ways into the woods and then struck her down. Fiona then kneeled onto Lenita's back and took a knife out of the case, beginning to slowly saw into the flesh of Lenita's neck.” I quirked a brow and began hoping the gory details would be sparse. The skunk continued. “Lenita's face was in the snow so her screams were muffled, and it wasn't long before she passed out. After a while, Fiona had sawed clean through and beheaded Lenita. She then got off of Lenita's body and took her bloody gloves off, tossing them into the snow and burying them. She didn't have the time for a proper disposal. She went back to her car and quickly changed to her dance clothes. Then she drove back out and to the school.” I began to regret eating, and I wanted to know just how she knew this.

Alice stiffened her tail in horror. I did too. Then I spoke up, “That's horrible! Oh god... Did the killing ever get found out?”

The skunk smirked, “Yes, yes it did, and I'm sure you won't believe just how.” Lady, you already had a high school girl commit an especially gruesome murder in cold blood. I doubt you can get less believable. I mean, that sort of thing is just not done! Not by kids!

Alice then answered, “This does seem hard to swallow already, Gina.”

“So the skunk does have a name,” Then I clasped my hands over my mouth realizing my faux pas.

Gina answered, “Well, that's my pen name. As the way things turned out, it seemed that Lenita still had life within her bloody corpse, and after a while seemed able to stand up. She gathered her head and tried to find her way to the school. It was during the middle of the dance that she finally arrived, but she was in no mood to dance. She was out to find Fiona. She decided that this was it! This was the very last straw! Actually, all the insults and offenses prior were the straws, and this was heaping on a ton of bricks. Lenita had to do something. It seemed that it didn't take much.”

I asked, “Was Fiona killed? And what about Tom?”

Gina shook her head. “No. When Lenita came into the dance hall, looking like a bloody mess reborn as the headless horse-skunk, people stood back and watched in shock and horror. Lenita stormed her way over to Fiona and rose her head to meet eye to eye. Lenita then said, 'Fiona, you bitch! This is what all your cruelty has lead to? You tried to murder me! Why? Were you so terrified that Tom would leave you that you had to kill?! Answer me!'” I wondered if it was the head speaking, without lungs to push the air through, or the body pushing the air with her lungs, but with no mouth to form the words. Either way this seemed fishy, physics aside.

Alice asked, “How would that even be possible.”

Gina seemed to just hand-wave the issue. “I don't know. That's just how it happened. Fiona was dumb with terror. She had sworn that she had committed the perfect crime, but as she tried to answer, she could not form intelligible speech. The rest of the seniors stared at this spectacle and the authorities didn't know what to do. Fiona soon broke down to hysterics and Tom retreated, quickly falling to his knees and dry-heaving from what he has seen.” I can't say I blame him. If I saw somebody headless, presumably with their neck-muscles exposed, I'd get sick. “The last anyone has seen of Lenita was her running back to her home, and then her family moving out, not to be seen again around here for twelve years. Fiona was locked away in a psychiatric ward for her safety and everyone tries to forget what happenned. I do not know of what eventually happened to Tom, but I hope he was able to move on. I miss him.”

Alice scoffed and so did I. I then asked, “How did you figure into this?”

Gina sighed and said, “I'll need you both to come with me somewhere more private.”

Alice then asked, “like where?”

Gina stood up and said, “Follow me. We're taking a trip to the woods.”

I stood up and paid the bartender before we headed out. If you'll excuse my phrasing.

We eventually made it to the local woods by car. The trees seemed to be all pines and they had a white frosty cover on the needles. It seemed so quiet, beautiful, and serene. It was hard to imagine that anything so terrible as a beheading took place there. Gina sighed and said, “It looks like time has washed out the blood here. Alice, and... what's your name sir?”

“I'm Jared,” I answered to her.

Gina then nodded and answered. “This story I told you, now is the time I explain my real part in it. That girl, Lenita, was actually me.” She then proceeded hold onto her head with one hand and undo the collar with the other. Then she lifted. Then I dropped to my knees feeling queasy. The pinkish-red muscles and the visible arteries made me regret my dinner. Alice backed away in shock.

“Lenita?” Alice couldn't contain her curiosity. Somehow, she was not that scared. I eventually got back to me feet, my pants now soaked in snow and my legs colder than before, but at least my stomach stopped contemplating the act of emptying itself upwards.

Lenita put her head back into place and fastened the collar, leading up back to the car. We were both silent, and I at least was horrified now. I guess that terrible incident was true. And that just makes it worse than it simply sounds. I don't think I'll be forgetting this soon. I eventually asked the two, “Are you two just friends?”

Lenita nodded. “Yes, we are. We normally communicate through E-mail, but I felt that I should come here again after twelve years missing. It has been so long, I hope to see some of the old sites.”

“I understand. Kinda. Can you drop me off at the bar? I'll walk from there.”

We eventually made it back to the bar and I stepped out. The car drove down and I thought about what I had learned today. Of the terrible acts of some people, the discovery that perhaps we can't all take our realities for granted...

And I still need to get snow-pants. It's freaking cold in the winter!